Shooting death of Chicago 17-year-old ruled a homicide

Ninth-grader died of bullet wound to head, medical examiner says

A 17-year-old boy shot this weekend after an acquaintance brought a gun to his South Side house died in a homicide, the Cook County medical examiner's office ruled Sunday.

The medical examiner's office determined Darnell Hayes died of a gunshot wound to the head. Hayes, of the 1700 block of East 71st Place, was declared dead at 8:40 p.m. Saturday, said a spokesman for the medical examiner.

Chicago police responded to Hayes' home at 5:14 p.m. after a report of a person shot, police said.

Preliminary reports indicated a group of men entered the apartment and shot the teenager. Later reports indicated Hayes and the group were acquaintances, and Hayes was in his home with the group when one of them took out a handgun, Officer Laura Kubiak said.

Police said Hayes may have had an argument with the group that led to the shooting but cautioned that details were still being investigated.

Hayes was a ninth-grader at Paul Robeson High School, said Chicago Public Schools spokeswoman Monique Bond. He is the 16th Chicago public school student slain this school year.